Improvement in metallic fences



L. H. BURT. Metallio Fenoe.

No. 196,332. Patented Oct. 23,1877.

UNITED S'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

LEONABD H. BURT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNEOTIOUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC FENCES.

Specification formiug part of Letters Patent No. 196,332, dated October 23, 1877; application filed I September 19, 1877.

To all 'whom 'it may concem Be it known that I, LEONARD H. BURT,of the city of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Metallic Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and' exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had -t-o the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of this invention consists in convstructing a metallic fence-post in two vertically-divided sections, united at the base to a screw-threaded auger-like point; also, in providing said post with certain clasping devices for holding the rails between or against the said post-sections; also, in a horizontal brace for preventing the lateral motion of said post; and, finally, in certain devices for splicing the rails, all as hereinafter fully and particularly set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents' a side. elevation of my improved fence-post with thel rail-fastening devices attached. Fig. 2 represents afront elevation of the same, showing the horizontal brace and rails. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the rail-splicing devices. Fig. 4. is a detail view of one of the clasps or ferrulesused for holding the rails to the post or between the sections thereof.

A designates the solid metallic point of my fence-post, which is screw-threaded like an auger, in order that it may more easily enter the ground and more tenaciously hold thereto. B B designate the Vertical sections of the post, which are attached at their lower ends to point A, and have sufiicient flexibility to be pressed together at will, and sufficient elasticity to regain their ordinary position when the pressure is removed. There is then between them a narrowvertical space (marked b.)

O designates a fiat, thin horizontal bar or brace, which is inserted in said space b, near the lower part of the post. VVhen point A is forced down into the earth, brace C follows it therein until its upper edge is fiush with the surface. It then operates to prevent said post from being overturned by lateral strain, or

twisted out of its proper position, since the broad, flat sides of said brace meet with great resistance from the earth, against which they press when any attempt is made to move said brace from a straight and vertical position.

D designates two post clasps or ferrules, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The general shape of each clasp or ferrule D is a broad ring or short cylinder adapted to slip over and embrace the sections B B, and partly cut away on one side, so as to leave two semicircumferential bands, d d. The space dl bctween said bands allows a rail, E, to be thrust directly through the center of said ferrule, between said sections B B, while said ferrule embraces the same. Each band d is provided with an offset, dz, and these offsets arelso shaped and so arranged relatively to one another as to receive a tapering key or wedge, F, which is forced down from above. The said wedge or key, in combination with the said clasp or ferrule, operates to oompress the said post-sections against the said interposed rail, so as to securely clamp the latter.

If preferred, the rail may be passed through space dl outside of the post and clamped, as before.

A post made in one piece may thus be used with the clamping devices above described.

By alternately loosenin g and tightening the above-described clampin g devices and slippin g them up and down the post, while loosened, with the rail, the latter may be adjusted to any desired height, and there firmly held. All the ferrules, keys, and rails are, respectively, of similar construction 5. but the ferrules and keys used on the lower part of the post, where compression is more difficult, are preferably larger and stronger than those on the upper part of it. Their offsets 112 are also made larger,

, so as to accommodate larger keys. Any con- V venient number of rails and fastening devices may be employed; but only two are shown, as being sufficient to illustrate my invention.

The several rails forming the fence are spliced together by means of the devices shown in detail in Fig. 3. These consist of a metallic clasp or broad band, G, which embraces the contiguous overlapping ends of two rails, and of a wedge or key, H, which is thrust into said clasp so as to bind them together. Each endof each mil has a small l. The combination of a fenee-post With mil as set forth.

tially as set In testim my own I maining parts above end below b With ofi'sets to form a key-seat,

2. Elastie Sections B B, in com breee O, fen'ule D, and key F, s ing clmnped by said ferrule and f)rth.

y that I elaim the two witne ss E, ferrule D and key F, a portion of said ferrule being removed on one side, end the re- GEC Witnesse LE ONARD ein g provided substntialy bination With aid bramce bekey, substanforegoing'. as

iY my signature in presenee of es.

H. BURT.

E (BERRY,

FRH.

Io NORTON. 

